Improvement in water-wheels



E. DUUGHERTY.

lWalter-Wheels.

.. 134,040.` Patented nec.17,v1872.

,. UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIGEl ELIPHALET DOUGHERTY, on MARION, onto.

IMPRCVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,040, dated December17, 1872.

Y To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIPHALET DOUGH- ERTY, of Marion, in the county ofMarion and in the State of. Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Water- Wheels; and do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing and to-the letters of reference marked thereonmaking a part of this specification.

My present invention is intended as an improvement upon the water-wheellfor which Letters Patent were granted to me May 31, 1870; and itconsists, iirst, in adapting the form of the wheel casing and registerto the varying velocities of the water which acts upon the portions ofthe buckets at diierent depths. All parts of the periphery of thebuckets revolve with the same velocity; but the water which acts uponthe buckets at top and bottom at different depths moves w1th diierentvelocities. The lower stratum of water moving faster than the upperstratums, if the lower part of the bucket moves with the lower stratumof water the upper parts of the buckets must movefaster than its stratumof water; hence it not only loses all of the benefits of its own stratumof water, but virtually runs in back water; or, if the upper part of thebucket moves with the stratum of water,

the lower part must move slower than its stratum, and hence fails toreceive the full benefit of the water which acts on that part of thebucket. Second, in providing the register of a water-wheel with oilchambers or channels, and a suitable oiling device for lubricating thesame; and, third, in the construction of the buckets of the wheel; allof which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Y Figure lis a longitudinal vertical section of the casing and register,showing a side elevation of the wheel; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section ofthe wheel; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one'of the buckets.

A represents the wheelcasing, provided with the usual chutes orwater-passages, and constructed in Yconical form, substantially asdescribed in my former patent above referred to. Surrounding this casingis the register B, also made in conical form to correspond with theshape ot' the casing. The register B is, around its upper edge, providedwith an inward-projecting iange, a, resting upon the top of the casing,as shown in Fig. 1, and around its lower edge provided with anoutward-projecting ange, b, the under side of which is inclined tocorrespond with the inclination of the bottom of the casing. The conicalor conied form of the register allows the diiferent stratums of thewater to pass into and act on the wheel with perfect regularity. On theunder side of the flange a is a continuous groove, i, forming anoil-chamber or oilchannel for the purpose of oiling the bearing surfacesof the ange and casing, as well as the outer surface of the casing andinner surface of the register. Oil is admitted into the oil-chamber t'by means of a tube extending up above the water, or by a water-tightglobe attached to the top of the register, or by any other suitablemeans. In like manner the under surface of the lower ange b is providedwith an oil-chamber, '5, for oiling itsl bearingsurface. This oiling ofthe register is of great importance, as it is very often the case thatthe register sticks and is hard to move, while by having it constantlywell .oiled it can be moved with perfect ease. The oiling is done everytime the register is moved to let on or shut off the water, saidmovement being effected by the usual pinion and cogged segment, or byany other suitable and convenient means. C represents the top rim, D thebottom rim, and G G the buckets, of my wheel. The bottom rim D, insteadof being horizontal with the buckets resting on it, as in my formercase, is vertical, or, in other words, standing on edge, and the bucketsGG are constructed 1n a diii'erent manner. The upper part of the bucketisprecisely the same and constructed in precisely the same manner, andby the same rules as described in my former patent; but from the loweredge of the outer part x of the bucket extends downward a` wing, J,which is inclined and also projects inward beyond the wing one-half ofits width, un

2 receso der the inner part y of the bucket. The botltom rim Disattached to the outer edge of this wing.

It will thus be seen that I combine an upper and lower bucket in one,and the lower bucket, projecting inward toward the center of the wheeland past the inner line of the vertica-l bucket, receives the water fromthe vertical issue in the upper bucket, and causes all the water to acton the bucket with its grav ity after it has expended its percussion outhe upper bucket.

By this construction of the bucket I get not only the benefit of theentire projectile force of the water, but also the benet of the ierce ofits gravity as it passes down the inclined wing J.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In testimony that I claim the foregoing If have hereunto set my handthis 12th day of August, 1872.

ELIPHALET BOUGIIERTY.

Witnesses:

EDM. F. BRGWN, J. M. MASON.

